Wimbledon: Capriati bandwagon keeps on rolling

Jennifer Capriati was today preparing mentally and physically for the next step in the incredible journey she hopes will end in a historic Grand Slam of Grand Slams.

The 25-year-old New Yorker yesterday dispatched Serena Williams in the Wimbledon quarter-finals - the 19th consecutive Grand Slam victim of an extraordinary year in which she has already won the Australian Open and the French Open.

Now only Belgium’s Justine Henin stands between the former teenage rebel and a place in her first Wimbledon final.

Not that Capriati, who was receiving treatment today for a muscle strain which required a medical time-out against Williams, is getting ahead of herself.

‘‘I’m not even thinking about that,’’ said Capriati, who was two points from defeat against Williams in the second set before fighting back to triumph 6-7 7-5 6-3 in a match which sparked questions of gamesmanship after Williams also required a bathroom break for sickness, which she claimed had been affecting her for four days.

‘‘At the end of the second set I was close to losing it and I just kept thinking of the French Open where I was two points away from defeat also,’’ said Capriati.

‘‘I think she was surprised I came back to win the second set and I just had to get on top of her as much as I could.’’

Henin, by coincidence, also claimed she has learned from the French Open, where she lost to compatriot Kim Clijsters in the semi-final despite being a set and 4-2 up.

‘‘Mentally I am stronger now and I will have a different approach from the French,’’ said Henin, who pulled out of the doubles with bad blisters immediately after her embarrassingly easy 6-1 6-0 triumph over former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez.

‘‘Playing Capriati will be different from playing Clijsters at the French,’’ added Henin, who possesses the most natural backhand in the women’s game.

‘‘I will not have a lot of pressure on me. Maybe if I get the possibility again I will go on to win the match.’’

Despite the demise of Serena, one formidable Williams still survives in the shape of reigning champion Venus, who ushered the retiring Nathalie Tauziat out of the Wimbledon exit door yesterday with some haste after a well-contested first set.

Venus now plays Lindsay Davenport, who eased past a lacklustre Clijsters in straight sets, in a repeat of last year’s final.

‘‘I’m a bit wiser a year on,’’ said Venus. ‘‘I think I can do it again. Once you’ve done it you know what it takes. I felt a little rushed in the first set, I got over-confident, but I calmed down and got through it.’’

Davenport, in typically understated fashion, played down her own chances of winning back the title she collected two years ago.

‘‘Venus is probably the favourite to win the tournament,’’ said Davenport. ‘‘She’s playing great. I’ll just go out and do the best I can.

‘‘I’ve been able to maintain a great sense of balance in my career and I like being anonymous.’’